In the graphic arts industry, signatures (which are sheets oftentimes folded into a "V") are required to be assembled and then bound in book form by a saddle stitcher such as disclosed in McCain U.S. Pat. No 3,087,721. The different signatures are first stacked into tightly packed logs and supplied to respective feeder conveyor stations. The individual signatures are separated from the log and fed to a gathering mechanism such as a chain, moving past the stations, one signature being dropped atop another. Several stations may be involved, each feeding a different signature for one book, or there may be only two active stations. Equipment associated with these stations maybe controlled in many ways: McCain U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,565,422, 3,589,712 and 3,608,893.
Signature machines may be located in a bindery area near the press room, or in an adjacent building. The printed matter, fresh from the press, is bundled into logs and delivered by pallets, or the like, to feeder stations where an attendant takes over. The function of the attendant is to keep the supply stations full with makeup additions. Heretofore, this involves the attendant separating a small stack of signatures from the log, carrying it to the feeder/conveyor and placing it there for manipulation. It is also necessary that the signatures be joggled by the attendant so they will not stick together as a result of friction, static electricity, etc. Even the best worker can get behind or err when separating, carrying and loosening the stacked signatures as an incident to assuring proper feeding of the signature on the feeder/conveyor. Quite often this human error has resulted in human injury, machine stoppage, signature jamming, etc.